


Day 22: Burned

by MadhouseVagabond



Series: 30 Day Whump Challenge 2018 [22]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: 30 Day Whump Challenge, Achievement City, Angst, Fire, Forbidden Magic, Gen, King Geoff, Knight Alfredo, Mage Ryan, Magic, Pain, Whump, burned - Freeform, burned alive, but he’s not as good as Jeremy, implied Jeremwood, king AU, mage Jeremy, minecraft au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 01:18:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15830790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadhouseVagabond/pseuds/MadhouseVagabond
Summary: In a land where magic is forbidden, being a natural born mage is hard.





	Day 22: Burned

The two men were hauled down the cobblestone path, dragged forward by the guards holding the ropes binding their hands as the angry mob lining the streets shouted and threw fruit, mud, rocks, and dung at them. The guards led them to the center of the city, the town square where the royal procession had already gathered. King Geoff sat there on a chair, watching intently as his two guards dragged the culprits forward, shoving the men to their knees in front of the King. Geoff remained silent for a moment, studying the two before clearing his throat, the gathered crowd falling silent as their king spoke.

 

"The two of you have been accused and found guilty of practicing magic, an art forbidden in this kingdom. Do you deny these claims?" he asked loudly for the crowd's benefit. The taller man glared up at Geoff and spat on the ground, baring his teeth as he sneered.

 

"Why should we deny or be ashamed of what we are? We've done nothing wrong, harmed no one, committed no crimes."

 

"Except the crime of practicing magic," Jack said stepping forward from where he'd been standing beside King Geoff.

 

"Jackie boy's got a point Ryan, you did break the biggest fucking law we've got here in Achievement City," Geoff nodded.

 

"You really want to blame us for being who we are? We were born this way we can't help it! Telling us not to practice magic is like telling a fish not to swim!" Ryan exclaimed.

 

"I'm sorry Ryan, you should've controlled yourselves better," Geoff shook his head.

 

"At least let Jeremy go! He's innocent, only practicing at my encouragement. He never wanted to in the first place but I pushed him to use his gifts. Please don't punish him for this," Ryan begged. Beside him Jeremy stiffened and turned to look at the gent, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Ryan was really about to sacrifice himself for the lad.

 

"Fuck that! I'd do it again if I could. Practicing magic has made me realize who I am, what I was born to do. I've never felt more at peace than when practicing my gifts and I won't apologize for it!" he said firmly.

 

"Are the two of you done trying to heroically save the other? I've got a kingdom to run," Geoff rolled his eyes.

 

"Fuck you Geoff!" Jeremy spat.

 

"Silence your insolence! Show some manners for your king!" Jack bellowed.

 

"If he were my king he wouldn't be sacrificing me because I can use magic. Ryan isn't even using real magic," Jeremy said.

 

"Save it Jeremy, these idiots can't distinguish the difference between science and magic," Ryan said and glared up at the king and his advisor.

 

"Enough! Take these two to the stakes and secure them!" Geoff shouted. Alfredo and Trevor nodded and yanked the two bound men to their feet, dragging them to the center of the square where two large wooden stakes had been set up, a pier. Wood was stacked all around the two stakes that Ryan and Jeremy were tied to, arms behind their backs and around the stakes.

 

Jeremy shot Ryan a worried glance, the gent feeling pain and guilt for getting the lad into trouble. It was all his fault, he'd taken Jeremy in, taught him magic and science, realizing that the lad had an incredible talent for the mystic arts, one he wasn't nearly as strong in. They'd practiced together in the dark of night when no one would see them, the King's rigid rules of magic use and punishment by death fresh in their minds. Now Ryan was watching as the man he'd grown close to was about to be burned at the stake, the punishment for all magic users, witches and mages alike. The two guards stepped back and looked to their King, awaiting further instruction. Ryan looked over to Jeremy again and wished he could save the lad, that he could protect him, something he'd been trying to do for years now.

 

"Ryan Haywood, Jeremy Dooley, you've been tried and found guilty of practicing the magic arts. Your punishment as decreed, is death by being burned at the stake. Diaz, Collins, light those fuckers up!" Geoff shouted, the crowd roaring with approval, making Ryan sick. These were the people he'd grown up with, they knew him and Jeremy. And yet they were cheering for the two men's blood.

 

Alfredo and Trevor looked at each other and then the two bound mages before shrugging and walking forward, two blazing torches in their hands. Ryan struggled against the ropes binding him, desperate to get free so he could save Jeremy, but the twin guards had secured them tightly. He looked over at Jeremy and his heart broke at the lad's pale, terrified face.

 

"Hey, don't look at them. Just me, just look at me," Ryan said. Jeremy swallowed and tore his eyes away from the approaching flames to stare into Ryan's bluer than blue eyes. He was sad that he wouldn't get to look at those eyes anymore, hear that gentle voice, or hug the man who always made him feel safe.

 

"I'm sorry Jer Bear," Ryan said with tears in his eyes.

 

"It's not your fault Ry. I wouldn't take back a single minute of it!" Jeremy responded, voice quivering. Ryan hated seeing Jeremy scared like this. He was filled with regret that the two never had had the chance to grow closer, that he would never hear the bubbling laughter, see that sweet smile.

 

"Jeremy...I..." he stumbled over his words as his pier lit, the flames creeping towards him and the heat already bothering his skin.

 

"It's okay Ryan, it'll all be okay just look at me," Jeremy choked out, tears in his eyes as his pier lit as well.

 

"I just wanted you to know, before it's all over, that I'm very proud of you!" Ryan sputtered, tears in his own eyes.

 

"Y-you are?" Jeremy asked.

 

"Fuck yeah I am! You're the best mage I know!" Ryan smiled.

 

"I love you buddy," Jeremy gasped out, fear in his eyes as the flames licked at Ryan's feet. Ryan grit his teeth against the searing pain and looked back at Jeremy.

 

"I love you to buddy," he said with a smile.

 

The two men gazed into each other's eyes as the heat overwhelmed them, and soon their screams of pain filled the air, the flames consuming their bodies along with the wood as they struggled to get free. Geoff watched as the two men he'd known for years, men he thought he could trust, burned alive in front of him, barely registering they were dying.

 

Rules were rules, and Geoff be damned if he ever went light on a magic user in his kingdom!

**Author's Note:**

> So this fic was loosely based off the series Merlin. I’ve always been interested in writing something to do with that series and may even expand on this one after the 30 day challenge is over. Let me know what you think!


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